Rounding machine



June 24, 1941- J. M. WHELTON ROUNDING MACHINE Filed Dec. 22, 1am6:-.'Sheets-Sheet 1 June 24, 1941.

J. M. WHELTON ROUNDING MACHINE Filed Dec. 22, 1938 e Sheets-Sheet 2 June24, 1941 w To 2,246,650

ROUNDING MACHINE Filed Dec. 22, "I938 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 June 1941; V 'J."M. WHELTON ROUNDING MACHINE Filed D90. 22, 1938 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 26WVE/WUR w 22;?- Kw June 24, 1941.

J. M. WHELTON ROUNDING MACHINE Filed Dec. 22, 1938 6 Sheets-Sheet 5A/VEA/TDR J1me 1941- J. M. WHELTON ROUNDING MACHINE Filed Dec. 22, 19386 Sheets-Sheet 6 Vise-:3 129 V X/VEA/TUR Patented June 24, 1941 ROUNDINGMAGHINE John M. Whelton, Peabody, Mass, assignor to United ShoeMachinery Corporation, Borough of Flemington, N. J., a corporation ofNew Jersey Application December 22, 1938, Serial No. 247,239

30 Claims.

My invention relates to machines by which there is imparted towork-pieces a peripheral contour which at least approximates th finishedform. It is especially applicable to the rounding of soles which havebeen attached to shoes.

In the rough-rounding of shoe-soles, there may be about portions of themargins considerable widths of material to be trimmed away. In sometypes of shoes, as stitchdowns, the difficulty is increased by thepresence in the margin of other than sole-material, such as the flangeof the toe-box and the lining. It is an object of the present inventionto effect such rounding operations rapidly and accurately and withrelatively little eifort on the part of the operator and wear of thecutting means. In achieving this object, I preferably employ a rotatablecutter, together with means arranged to engage a shoe-upper at pointsalong the crease opposite the margin of an attached sole and spaced fromsaid upper outside the crease, this means being adapted to guide such awork-piece as a shoe-sole in a direction generally parallel to the axisof the cutter, with the sole presented to said cutter to be severedalong an edge-surface substantially at right-angles to the oppositefaces of the sole. Herein, the cutter is shown as having spaced armsprovided with peripheral cutting edges entering the margin of the soleat the side toward the shoe-upper and an associated cutting edgeextending inwardly from each peripheral edge. Both of these cuttingedges may co-operate with stationary shear-blades, which are preferablyvariable in position independently with respect to the cutter. With thisarrangement, the sole-margin is severed between its opposite faces alongthe desired edge-surface by successive cuts, each requiring theapplication of but little power and permitting the work to be advancedeasily and rapidly, the intermittance of the cutting action givingintervals during which the forward feed is accomplished without meetingmaterial resistance. The inwardly extending cutting edges cause theproduction of relatively small waste-pieces, which ar readily disposedof without interference with the manipulation of the work, and thecooperation of the stationary blades insures clean lines of division.Guiding means for the shoe may comprise a member arranged to enter thecrease, and because of irregularities in the crease at the forepart ofwork of some characters, there is preferably also an upper-guide, eitherof which guides may be made effective. To allow for proper operationupon work of difierent thicknesses, both guides are yieldable. In theillustrative machine, one of the guides is carried by and arranged tomove into and out of its active position upon the other, which is itselfmovable. The guides may thus yield together, regardless of the one inuse. I have shown the creaseguide carried for this movement upon a leverand the upper-guide as sliding upon the creaseguide and actuated byconnections which are without eifect upon the movement of thecreaseguide. 'To provide for easy access to the cutting elements, theguide or guides are best mounted upon a carrier, variable in positionupon a controlling lever and being arranged to be secured in active andinactive positions. The operator may be assisted in advancing the workfor the operation upon it by a rotatable feeding member, engaging thesole at the opposite side from that against which the cutter moves. Iprefer this feeding member to be in the form of a belt. Such a member isrelatively inexpensive and provides an effective, yieldablecontact-surface, which will give long service because of itsconsiderable extent and which, when worn, is readily renewable. Bymounting one of the beltpulleys or other feeding member which is adja--cent to the cutting mechanism upon a tubular shaft, a support for ashear-blade may extend through it, giving a convenient, compact arrangement. A rest for the bottom of the sole is illustrated, this beingbelow the feed-belt. It is adjustable to vary its position inwardly oroutwardly with respect to the work-engaging surface of said belt. Thisprovides for the presentation of the sole-edge at different angles tothe peripheral portion of the cutter.

In the accompanying drawings, a particular embodiment of the inventionis illustrated,

Fig. 1. showing the more essential portions of the machine in sideelevation;

Fig. 2 being an enlarged top plan view of the operating elements, withparts omitted;

Fig. 3, a side elevation of these elements;

Fig. 4, an enlarged broken elevation from the side opposite that of Fig.3 and including elements more closely associated with the work;

Fig. 5, a front elevation generally corresponding to Fig. 3;

Fig. 6, a top plan view of the machine with the upper section of theframe-head removed but with the elements of the cutting mechanismindicated;

Fig. '7, a fragmentary plan View specially illustrating the blockcarrying the vertical shearblade and the manner in which the block andblade are adjusted;

Fig. 8, a fragmentary elevation showing the position of the crease-gageand the upper-gage, elevated from their operating positions; and

Fig. 9, a view similar to Fig. 8, but showing the relation of theelements lowered, and with the upper-gage depressed into its activerelation.

The machine has a column l0, upon which is mounted a frame-head l2,having an upper section l3. Journaled transversely in a bearing securedto the head 2 at the front of the section I 3 is a shaft I4, upon whichis secured a cutter C. This cutter has arms l6 radiating from its hub,these being shown as two in number and spaced from each other by 180.Each blade has a peripheral cutting edge It, which may be parallel tothe axis of rotation and extending inwardly from which is a cutting edge20 (Fig. 4) These cutting edges are preferably formed upon inserts 22 ofsome very hard material, of which Carboloy furnishes an example,attached to the cutterarms, as by soldering. Each of the revolvingcutter-edges has co-operating with it a fixed shear-blade. Each edge [8travels close to the horizontal forward edge 25 (Fig. of a plate orblade 26 mounted for vertical adjustment toward and from the cutter, aswill later be described. At one side of the plate 26 is a plate or blade28, presenting a vertical shearing edge 30 to the edges 20 of thecutter. The plate 28 may be held in ways 32 upon a divided block 34 andclamped in place by a screw 36, which draws the divided portions towardeach other. The block is pivoted at 38 (Figs. 3 and '7) upon ahorizontal surface of the head-section l3 and is urged from the cutterby a spring 40 interposed between said block and the head-section andsurrounding a screw 42 passing through an opening in the block. Byturning the screw 42, the edge 30 may be adjusted toward and from theplane in which the cutter-edges 20 revolve. When the chosen relation isattained, the block, with the blades, may be secured in position byscrews 44, extending with clearance through openings 46 in the block andthreaded into the head. By adjustment of the shearing edges 24 and 3Gwith relation to the revolving cutter-edges, they may be caused to severcleanly the material operated upon.

To present a shoe in such a relation to the cutter-edges and to theshear-blades that it will be trimmed an approximately uniform widthalong the margin to produce an edge which is substantially atright-angles to the opposite faces of the sole, a guide 53 is provided.At its lower extremity, this guide has a generally vertical portion 52,with a somewhat reduced extremity adapted to enter the crease of a shoeand lying opposite the shear-blocks, it diverging slightly therefromhorizontally in the direction of advance of the work, as appears in Fig.4. This causes the cutter to operate in a plane at an angle somewhatremoved from 90 with respect to the overhanging upper. It is thereforerendered less liable to strike said upper as the edges l8 approach theadjacent margin of the sole than if the advance were strictly parallelto the axis of the cutter. Above the portion 52, the guide is curvedupwardly and outwardly to clear the cutter, as shown in Figs. 1, 3, 4, 8and 9, and terminates in a shank 54 recessed into a carrier member 55(Fig. 2), to which it is secured for vertical adjustment by aslot-and-screw connection 58. This permits a variation in the height atwhich the work is presented to the cutteredges It and therefore thewidth to which the sole-margin is trimmed. The carrier has projectinghorizontally from it a spindle 60, which may turn in a bracket "52attached to the headsection it (Figs. 3 and 5). Supported upon the endof the spindle is an actuating lever 64, which has inward projections66, above and below the bracket. In these projections are openings 68and 10 (Fig. 4), either of which may be engaged by a spring-pin 72,mounted to move horizontally in the carrier 56. With the pin in theopening 68 (Fig. 9), the guide 56 is held down adjacent to theshear-blades in operating position. With the pin withdrawn from thisopening, the carrier and guide may be swung up about the axis of thespindle so, until the pin registers with the opening 16. Here, it may bereleased to hold the guide elevated and give access to the cutter C andthe co-operating blades (Fig. 8). From the projections 66 and theintermediate hub "M, the lever 64 extends rearwardly and is articulatedto a treadle-rod l6. A compression-spring 753 interposed between the endof the lever and the head-section [3 holds the crease-guide 5t normallyin its active relation but allows it to yield to compensate for varyingthicknesses of work passing between it and the shear-blades. When therod, '56 is drawn down, a clockwise movement of the lever 64 (Fig. 3)swings the guide away from the cutting mechanism, so the work mayreadily be placed in operating position.

With shoes in which the crease is reasonably smooth and uniform, as inthe case of the stitchdown-form, in which an outward flange about theupper has been secured to an outsole or outsole-portion in lasting, theentire rounding operation may be performed under guidance of the portion52. If, however, the work is of the prewelt type, having a welt stitchedto the upper before lasting, the crease about the forepart may have suchirregularities that the use of the guideportion 52 would result in arounded sole-edge which would be objectionably uneven. I thereforeassociate with the crease-guide a guide 80, presenting at 82 atransversely curved surface with which the shoe-upper may contact. Thisguide Bil extends upwardly about the creaseguide 59, beingcorrespondingly curved vertically and also concave transversely topartiall surround and thus lie in proximity to said creaseguide. Sincethe upper-guide is to be used only in connection with certain kinds ofwork, and at particular portions thereof, it is held in a normallyinactive, raised position, to be lowered to receive engagement of theshoe-upper when desired. For this purpose, it is preferably movable uponthe crease-guide 5i) and, consequently, moves therewith. It depends froma slide 84, which is guided upon vertical ways 86 at the outer side ofthe crease-guide. Fixed to the slide by a slot-and-screw connection "58is a plate 99, to which a link 92 is pivoted at 9 3. The upper extremityof the link is joined at 96 to the downwardly extending arm of abell-crank-lever 9B, fulcrumed at I99] upon the carrier 55. Atension-spring m2, connecting the slide to the carrier between thepoints a l and I99, maintains normally broken the toggle-lever furnishedby the link and the lever-arm. This so elevates the surface 82 of theupper-guide that the guideportion 52 is exposed to enter the crease of ashoe, as appears in Fig. 3. To lower the upperguide, a rearwardlyextending arm of the bellcrank-lever 93 carries a roll 504. Above thisroll extends a surface I06 upon a lever I08, fulorumcd at I01 upon thehead-section I3 and having pivotally joined to it a treadle-rod I09. Acompression-spring II3 located about the rod and between the lever I08and the head-section, holds both the rod and lever normally raised. Whenthe lever is swung down upon depression of the rod I09, the surface Ibears upon the roll I04 'and turns the bell-crank-lever 98 to morenearly straighten the toggle. This lowers the slide. 84 and the guide80, until the surface 82 is below the portion 52 of the crease-guide.The latter is now ineffective, and the guiding action is transferred tothe engagement between the shoe -upper and the guide-surface 82. It isto be noted that when the crease-guide 50 is raised by the treadlerod I6for the reception of the work, the upperguide moves with it, remainingin its inactive position upon the crease-guide. When the crease-guideswings up with its carrier 50 to free the cutting mechanism, theupper-guide similarly shifts with it. Moreover, this movement of thecrease-guide is in no way interfered with by the action of thetreadle-rod I09 in lowering the upper-guide, since the roll I04 upon thebellcrank-lever 08 at this time does not approach the contact-surfaceI06 of the lever I08, the two being free to travel into and out ofeffective relation. The connection of the link 92 to the adjustableplate 90 allows the normal position of the upper-guide to be variedindependently of the crease-guide. By this means, in connection with theadjustment of the crease-guide at 58, width of the trimmed margin overboth the shank and forepart may be determined separately.

To aid the operator in advancing a shoe to receive the action of thecutter C, there preferably contacts with the shoe-sole a rotatablefeeding member. This is shown as an endless belt H0, which may be of theV-type, running horizontally ver a pulley H2 at the front of the machineand a pulley H4 at the rear (Fig. 6). The vertical surface Ht of thebelt (Fig. 3), which engages the sole, is of some such material asrubber, giving the desired tractive force and avoiding marring the work.The pulley I I2 has a tubular shaft I I8 journaled in the head I2, andadvantage is taken of the passage through the shaft to position, withoutinterference, the horizontal shear-plate 2%. This plate is secured to acylindrical carrier I20 (Fig. movable vertically in the shaft-bore. Fromit is a downward extension I22, guided upon the head. From the extensiondepends a rod I24, threaded at its lower extremity and passing freelythrough an opening in a projection I26 from the head. Upon the rod atopposite sides of the projection are nuts I28. By these nuts, the plate26 may be raised or lowered to bring it into correct shearing relationto the edges I8 of the cutter.

To insure the maintenance of the sole-edge in the correct angularrelation to the edges I8 of the cutter, a bottom-rest may be mountedupon the head I2 just below that portion of the feed belt I I0 whichengages the sole of the shoe being operated upon. The rest has ahorizontal arm I29, with an outwardly curved surface I3I- to receivecontact of the sole. It is secured to the head by a slot-and-screwconnection I33. Because of the angle at which the rest is attached tothe head, its longitudinal adjustment causes the eontact-surface I3I tooccupy different horizontal positions inwardly or outwardly with respectto the surface H6 of the feed-belt. With this adjustment, the angle ofthe sole-edge may be varied with respect to the are through which thecutter-edges H8 revolve, and thus the trimmed edge may be kept morenearly at rightangles to the opposite faces of the sole as the thicknessof said sole varies in different work.

The chips and dust produced by the cutting operation may be removedthrough a conduit I30 (Fig. l), the intake-opening of which is adjacentto the rear of the cutter, and the opposite end of which connects withthe eye of a suctionfan contained in a casing I32. The waste from theoutlet of the fan is deposited in 'a container I30, removably clamped inways I36 in a bracket I38 secured to the frame-column I0. The waste isconfined to a largely enclosed space about the operating elements, theenclosure being furnished by a hood I3I pivoted upon the section I3 ofthe head. The hood also protects the operating elements and may bethrown back to give access to them.

The rotatable elements of the machine are driven from a counter-shaftI00 (Figs. 1 and 6), journaled transversely at the rear of the head I2and receiving power from line-shafting through fast and loose pulleysHi2 and HM, respectively, or from an electric motor. In the former case,the belt to these pulleys may be shifted by a lever I40. When power isoff, rotation may promptly be checked by brake mechanism M8 associatedwith the shaft Its. Upon said shaft is shown in Fig. 6 a pulley having agroove I50, which may be connected by a belt I52 to the motor, when thisis used; a groove i54, having a belt I50 to the fan-shaft; and a grooveI58, joined by a belt I60 to a pulley Hi2 turning about an intermediatespindle i 54 projecting from a bracket I55 secured to the head. With thepulley IE2 rotates a pulley let, over which and over a pulley I08 uponthe cutter-shaft operates a belt I70. By this beltgearing to the pulleyI50, the rotation of the cuter-shaft is stepped up to the desired highspeed. The opposite extremity of the countershaft I ls from its pulleysI50, I54 and I58, is united by worm-gearing I12 to a vertical shaft l'il, rotatable in hearings in the head and upon which is the pulley M4 forthe feed-belt H0. The travel of this belt is thereby reduced to arelativel low speed.

To facilitate an operation which may follow that of rounding, asoutsole-stitching, oil or the like may be supplied, drop by drop, from adripcup Ifiii (Fig. 1) mounted upon the top of the head-section I3. Apipe I02 unites the cup to a valve N30 for controlling the flow, whichis received by a tray H36 and delivered through a pipe I08, terminatingjust above the crease of the shoe being operated upon, adjacent to thecutter.

In rounding a sole which, in a stitchdown, will have been temporarilysecured to the outwardly turned flange of its upper or to a weltpreattached to said upper, the operator depresses the rod Iii, therebyturning the lever 64 to carry away from the shear-blades 2E and 28 theportion 52 of the crease-guide 50 and, with it, the uppenguide 30,supported by the crease-guide. In this movement, the roll HM upon thebell-crank-lever 98, controlling the up per-guide, moves away from thesurface I06 of the lever iliil, so the relative movement affects neitherguide. Since the upper-guide is so raised by the link 92 that its gagingsurface 82 is above the guide-portion 52, the operator finds the latterfree, so he may apply to it the crease of the shoe. Upon releasing therod it, the crease guide and the shoe are carried down by the spring'18, until the tread-surface of the sole rests against the verticalfaces of the shear-blades, the surface lid of the feed-belt Iii] and, ifthe operator chooses to utilize it, the bottom-rest I229. The cutter Cand the feed-belt being in constant rotation, as the operator advances ashoe, aided by the belt, and turns said shoe, which is held by thecrease-guide in a definite vertical position opposite the cutter, one ofthe peripheral cutting edges i8 descends past the upper and severs ashort section of the solemargin. As it operates over the shearing edge24 of the plate 2%, it produces a clean out, which is substantially atright-angles to the opposite faces of the sole. While the movement ofthe work is generally parallel to the axis of the cutter, it may be heldat a slight angle, as indicated in Fig. 6, so said cutter more certainlyclears the upper, especially where it considerably overhangs the sole,as at the shank. Following the engagement of the cutter-edge it with thesole, the inwardly extending edge it cuts through the sole-margin. andas long as the length of its edge 20 exceeds the width of the portionbeing removed, the waste will consist of successive shavings or chips,which may readily be disposed of through the suction-pipe E36. This willordinarily comprise a considerable part of the margin, and what may beleft at the toe will not be of sufiicient length to become entangledwith the operating elements but will drop freely from the guides andcutter. It will be seen that the edge 25 is called upon to do no workupon this transversely undivided portion.

With many types of shoe, the rounding operation may be completed in theabove-described manner. If, however, as may be the case with prewelts,the crease at the forepart is uneven, when such a point is reached theoperator depresses the rod Hi9 to swing down the lever Hi3. This causesthe surface N36 to engage the roll iii i, thereby turning thebell-crank-lever S3. The toggle formed by this lever and the link 9?. isstraightened, carrying down the slide 84 upon the crease-gage 5i andcausing the surface 82 of the guide 89 to descend below theguide-portion 52 to receive contact of the comparatively smoothshoe-upper (Fig. 9). This continues until the shank-portion at theopposite side of the shoe is reached, when the rod 9 is released. Thetoggle is broken by the spring W2, and the crease-guide till, 52 becomesagain eifective. The entire sole-edge produced will be close to the truecontour, requiring little trimming. The operation with the high-speedcutter obviously may be performed at a very rapid rate. Because theaction upon the work of the cutting edges l8 and 26 upon the spaced arms56, i6 is separated by an interval in which the cutter is not acting,this gives a period during which the work is advanced by the operatorand the belt Iii) without encountering resistance caused by the presenceof the cutter in the work. If a thicker portion of the sole-edge passesbetween the guides and the shear-blades, the spring '58 or the spring H3will yield to compensate for the difference. When the cutter is to beremoved for sharpening, or if for any reason access is desired to theoperating elements, the hood liil is swung back, the pin '52 in theguide-carrier 56 is withdrawn from the lever-opening E8, the carrier israised, and the pin permitted to enter the opening iii (Fig. 8). Thispositions the guides above and clear of the cutting mechanism.

In references made in the description and claims to the upper and thesole of a stitchdown shoe, it is to be understood that the upper is thatportion above the crease and that the out turned flange ofupper-material becomes a part of the sole.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a sole-rounding machine, a rotatable cutter, and means arranged toengage a shoe-upper at points along the crease opposite the margin of anattached sole and being spaced from said upper outside the crease, suchmeans being adapted to guide the sole in a direction generally parallelto the aids of the cutter and to present the sole to said cutter to besevered along an edge-surface substantially at right-angles to theopposite faces of the sole, the cutter being provided with spacedperipheral cutting edges entering the margin of the sole at the sidetoward the shoe-upper.

2. In a sole-rounding machine, a rotatable cutter, means arranged toguide a sole in a direction generally parallel to the axis of the cutterand to present the sole to said cutter to be severed along anedge-surface substantially at right-angles to the opposite faces of thesole, the cutter being provided with arms spaced from. each otherbetween which arms the sole may be advanced, said arms having peripheralcutting edges arranged to sever successive sections of th sole-margin,the arms also have cutting edges extending inwardly from the peripheraledges and arranged to divide the severed margin into separate chips.

3. In a sole-rounding machine, a rotatable cutter, means arranged toguide a sole in a direction generally parallel to the axis of the cutterand to present the sole to said cutter to be severed along anedge-surface substantially at rightangles to the opposite faces of thesole, the cutter being provided with a peripheral cutting edge enteringthe margin of the sole at the side toward the shoe-upper and with acutting edge extending inwardly from said peripheral edge, and twostationary blades with which the cutting edges respectively co-operateand against which the bottom margin of the sole rests.

i. In a sole-rounding machine, a rotatable cutter, means arranged toguide a sole in a direction generally parallel to the axis of the cutterand to present the sole to said cutter to be severed along anedge-surface substantially at rightangles to the opposite faces of thesole, the cutter being provided with a peripheral cutting edge enteringthe margin of the sole at the side toward the shoe-upper and with acutting edge extending inwardly from said peripheral edge, twostationary blades with which the cutting edges respectively co-operateand against which the bottom margin of the sole rests, and meansarranged to vary independently the relation of the two blades to theco-operating cutter edges.

5. In a sole-rounding machine, a rotatable cutter, and means arrange toenter the crease of a shoe and to guide its sole in a directiongenerally parallel to the axis of the cutter and to present the sole tosaid cutter to be severed along an edge-surface substantially atright-angles to the opposite faces of the sole, said guiding means beingyieldable under the influence of the work.

6. In a sole-rounding machine, a rotatable cutter, guiding meansentering the crease of the shoe adjacent to the cutter, and guidingmeans contacting with the shoe-upper adjacent to the cutter, said meansbeing arranged to guide a sole in a direction generally parallel to theaxis of the cutter and to present the sole to said cutter to be severedalong an edge-surface substantially at right-angles to the oppositefaces of said sole.

7. In a sole-rounding machine, a rotatable cutter, guiding meansentering the crease of the Shoe adjacent to the cutter, and guidingmeans contacting with the shoe-upper adjacent to the cutter, bothguiding means being yieldable together under the influence of the Workand being arranged to guide a sole in a direction generally parallel tothe axis of the cutter and to present the sole to said cutter to besevered along an edgesurface substantially a1; right-angles to theopposite faces of said sole.

8. In a sole-rounding machine, a rotatable cutter, a guiding memberentering the crease of a shoe adjacent to the cutter, a guiding membercontacting with the shoe-upper adjacent to the cutter, said membersbeing arranged to guide a sole in a direction generally parallel to theaxis of the cutter and to present the sole to said cutter to be severedalong an edge-surface substantially at right-angles to the oppositefaces of said sole, and means whereby either member may be madeeffective.

9. In a sole-rounding machine, a rotatable cutter provided with aperipheral cutting edge entering the margin of the sole at the sidetoward the shoe-upper and a cutting edge extending at an angle from theperipheral edge, angularly related stationary blades with which thecutting edges co-operate and against which the bottom margin of the solerests, and guiding means contacting with the shoe-upper adjacent to thecutter and stationary blades, said guiding means being arranged to guidea sole in a direction generally parallel to the axis of the cutter andto present the sole to said cutter to be severed along an edge-surfacesubstantially at right-angles to the opposite faces of said sole.

10. In a sole-rounding machine, a rotatable cutter provided with aperipheral cutting edge entering the margin of the sole at the sidetoward the shoe-upper, a stationary blade with which the cutting edgeco-operates and against which the bottom margin of the sole rests, andguiding means contacting with the shoe-upper adjacent to the cutter andstationary blade, said guiding means being yieldable from saidstationary blade and being arranged to guide a sole in a directiongenerally parallel to the axis of the cutter and to present the sole tosaid cutter to be severed along an edge-surface substantially atright-angles to the opposite faces of the sole.

11. In a sole-rounding machine, a rotatable cutter provided with aperipheral cutting edge entering the margin of the sole at th sidetoward the shoe-upper, a stationary blade with which the cutting edgeco-operates and against which the bottom margin of the sole rests, andplural guiding members for respective engagement with the crease and theupper of the shoe adjacent to the stationary blade, said members beingarranged to guide a sole in a direction generally parallel to the axisof the cutter and to present the sole to said cutter to be severed alongan edge-surface substantially at right-angles to the opposite faces ofthe sole.

12. In a rounding machine, a movable cutter, a movable shoe-guideco-operating therewith, a second shoe-guide carried by the first to movethereon, .and means arranged for actuation by the operator to movethe'secondguide into and out of active position during the operation ofthe machine.

13. In a rounding machine, a movable cutter, a movable shoe-guideloo-operating therewith, a slide movable upon the guide, a second guidecarried by the slide, a member acting upon the slide to move it upon thefirst guide, and a member connected to the first-named member andarranged for actuation by the operator.

14. In a rounding machine, a movable cutter, a movable shoe-guideco-operating therewith, means arranged to move the guide, a secondshoe-guide movable upon the first, and means arranged to move the secondguide into and out of active position, the second moving means beingWithout effect upon the positions of the guides during the action of thefirst moving means.

15. In a rounding machine, a movable cutter, a movable shoe-guideco-operating therewith, means arranged to move the guide, a secondshoe-guide carried upon the first to move thereon, and means arranged tomove the second guide into and out of active position and comprisingelements Which may travel into and out of effective relation to eachother.

16. In a sole-rounding machine, a frame, a rotatable cutter journaledtherein, a lever fulcrumed upon the frame, a crease-guide carried by thelever and co-operating with'the cutter, an upper-guide movable upon thecrease-guide, a lever fulcrumed upon the crease-guide-lever andconnected to the upper-guide, andmeans arranged to oscillate theupper-guide-lever.

17. In a sole-rounding machine, a frame, a rotatable cutter journaledtherein, a lever fulcrumed upon the frame, a crease-guide carried by thelever and co-operating with the cutter, a slide movable upon thecrease-guide, an upper-guide mounted upon the slide, a toggle-levercarried by the crease-guide-lever and connected to the slide, and alever fullcrumed upon the frame and movable against a portion of thetoggle-lever.

18. In a sole-rounding machine, a frame, a rotatable cutter journaledtherein, a lever fulcrumed upon the frame, a crease-guide carried by thelever and co-operating with the cutter, a slide movable upon thecrease-guide, an upperguide mounted upon the slide, a toggle-levercarried by the crease-guide-lever and connected to the slide, a springholding the toggle normally broken and the upper-guide in an inactiveposition, and a lever fulcrumed upon the frame and movable against aportion of the toggle-lever to move the upper-guide to an activeposition.

19. In a sole-rounding machine, a frame, a rotatable cutter journaledtherein, a lever fulcrumed upon the frame, a crease-guide carried by thelever and co-operating with the cutter, a slide movable upon thecrease-guide, an upperguide mounted upon the slide, a toggle-levercarried by the crease-guide-lever and connected to the slide, meansarranged to vary the point of attachment of the toggle-lever to theslide, and a lever fulcrumed upon the frame and movable against aportion of the toggle-lever.

20. In a sole-rounding machine, a frame, a rotatable cutter journaledtherein, a lever fulcrumed upon the frame, a carrier variable inposition upon the lever, a shoe-guide mounted upon the carrier andco-operating with the cutter, and means arranged to secure the carrierupon the lever with the guide differently located with respect to thecutter.

21. In a sole-rounding machine, a frame, a rotatable cutter journaledtherein, a lever fulcrumed upon the frame, a carrier pivoted upon thelever, means for securing the carrier in different angular relationsupon the lever, and a crease-guide mounted upon the carrier andcooperating with the cutter.

22. In a sole-rounding machine, a frame, a rotatable cutter journaledtherein, a lever fulcrumed upon the frame, a carrier pivoted upon thelever, means for securing the carrier in different angular relationsupon the lever, a creaseguide mounted upon the carrier and co-operatingwith the cutter, and means arranged to fix the crease-guide in difierentpositions upon the carrier.

23. In a rounding machine for shoe-soles, a cutter movable against oneside of a sole, a rotatable feed member engaging the opposite side ofthe sole, means for rotating the feed member, and a guide engaged by theshoe in a plane between the approaching cutter and feed member.

24. In a sole-rounding machine, a cutter movable against one side of asole, a belt engaging the opposite side of the sole, means for drivingthe belt, and a shoe-guide co-operating with the cutter and belt.

25. In a rounding machine, a rotatable cutter, a plurality of rotatablesupporting members, means for driving one of the supporting members, andan endless work-feeding member running over the supporting members andarranged to be engaged by and advance a shoe held in azeaoco the handsof the operator to receive the rounding action of the cutter.

26. In a rounding machine, a rotatable rounding cutter, a guide situatedadjacent thereto for engagement with a shoe at the crease, a rotatablefeed member engaging the shoe-bottom below the cutter and guide, andmeans for rotating the member.

27. In a rounding machine, a rotatable cutter, a Work-guide situatedadjacent thereto, a rotatable feed member engaging the work below thecutter and guide, means for rotating the member, a rest for the workbelow the feed member, and means arranged to vary the position of therest inwardly or outwardly with respect to the work-engaging surface ofsaid feed member.

28. In a rounding machine, a rotatable cutter, a shear-bladeloo-operating therewith, a rotatable work-feeding member, a tubularshaft by which the member is carried, and a support for the shear-bladeextending through the shaft.

29. In a rounding machine, a rotatable cutter, a shear-bladeco-operating therewith, a pulley having a tubular shaft, a feed-beltrunning upon the pulley, and a support for the shearblade extendingthrough the shaft.

30. In a rounding machine, a rotatable cutter, a shear-blade co-operating therewith, a pulley having a tubular shaft, a feed-beltrunning upon the pulley, a support for the shear-blade extending throughthe shaft, and means arranged to raise and lower the support.

JOHN NI. WHELTON.

